subtlety

Name: subtlety, English Word Data
Creator: Wiktionary
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

/ˈsʌt(ə)lti/

//ˈsʌt(ə)lti// noun

By PlainSpell Editorial Team · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) · analyzed May 6, 2026

The verdict

“subtlety” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #25,940 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#25,940
frequency rank, English: 8
letters: 13
tracked misspellings: 2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The quality of being subtle.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

subtlety vs subtly

75% similar

subtlety vs subtle

75% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for subtlety
Property	Value
Headword	subtlety
Language	English
Part of speech	Noun
IPA	/ˈsʌt(ə)lti/
Letters	8
Frequency rank	#25,940
Misspellings tracked	13
Confusable pairs	2
Source	Wiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “subtlety” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). subtlety lands here:

#25,940

#1#100#1K#10K#100K

← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for subtlety is 8 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈsʌt(ə)lti/. Corpus data places it at rank #25,940 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 10 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 13 likely wrong-spelling variants for subtlety, with forms such as "sbutlety", "ssubtlety", and "subbtlety". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 2 confusable-pair relationships, "subtly", "subtle", a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English sotilte, from Old French sutilté, inherited from Latin subtīlitās, from subtīlis (“subtle”). Equivalent to subtle + -ty. Doublet of subtility. The correct English form is subtlety, spelled S-U-B-T-L-E-T-Y.

Definition

1
The quality of being subtle.
2
The quality of being subtle.
3
The quality of being subtle.
4
The quality of being subtle.
5
An instance of being subtle, a subtle thing, especially a subtle argument or distinction.
6
An ornate medieval illusion dish or table decoration, especially when made from one thing but crafted to look like another.
7
The quality of being clever in surreptitious or deceitful behaviour; an act or argument that shows this quality.
8
A trick that creates a false appearance.
9
The property of having a low density or thin consistency.
10
The property of being able to penetrate materials easily.

Etymology

From Middle English sotilte, from Old French sutilté, inherited from Latin subtīlitās, from subtīlis (“subtle”). Equivalent to subtle + -ty. Doublet of subtility.

This word in other languages

delicadeza(Español)subtilité(Français)Geschicklichkeit(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: sbutlety,ssubtlety,subbtlety,subltety,subtelty,subtletty,subtletyy,subtleyt,subtllety,subtltey,subttlety,sutblety,usbtlety

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of subtlety - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

Edit distance from "subtlety"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "subtlety"?

"subtlety" is spelled S-U-B-T-L-E-T-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈsʌt(ə)lti/.

What does "subtlety" mean?

As a noun, "subtlety" means: The quality of being subtle.

What words are commonly confused with "subtlety"?

"subtlety" is commonly confused with "subtly", "subtle". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.

How do you pronounce "subtlety"?

The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "subtlety" is /ˈsʌt(ə)lti/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.

What is the origin of the word "subtlety"?

From Middle English sotilte, from Old French sutilté, inherited from Latin subtīlitās, from subtīlis (“subtle”). Equivalent to subtle + -ty. Doublet of subtility. See the full etymology section above for more details.

Is PlainSpell free to use?

Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “subtlety”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

The one correct English spelling is S-U-B-T-L-E-T-Y - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
Say it as /ˈsʌt(ə)lti/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
Don't mix it up with “subtly” - see the side-by-side comparison. subtlety vs subtly
Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.